Lesson Title: Finding the Main Idea When The Author Isn’t Clear
Related Lessons: Main Idea, Supporting Details
Grade: 3
Unit: Reading/Language Arts
GOALS
Content Standards: Ohio Academic Content Standard Identify and list the important central ideas and supporting details of informational text.
ISTE NETS-S Creativity and innovation Communication and collaboration Research and information fluency
Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making Digital citizenship Technology operations and concepts
Instructional objective(s): The student will be able to identify and communicate the main idea of a story and give supporting details for their findings. The student will select an informational topic in the area of science and post a brief summary of the book and then support a main idea using details from the story.
ACTION
Before-class preparation: The students will be asked during their library time to select one book that is an informational science book.
During class
Time
Instructional Activities
Materials & Resources
Three 45 minute sessions.
The students will read their book prior to coming to class. They will log onto our Moodle online classroom and make a forum about their topic. In this forum they will write a summary of book and try to identify the main idea or purpose of the book. The students will cite details from the book that make them feel their main idea is correct. When they finish they are to look at other student’s posts and asks questions about their book and find one person to trade books with. When they have communicated about their books and trade they will trade books at their next library session and repeat the process with their new book, but under the original forums posting. If there is a difference of opinion the two students will work together to come up a solution and definite main idea that both students feel is acceptable.
Library, Computer Lab, Moodle software.
MONITOR
Ongoing assessment(s): I will monitor the postings online to see if they are on task and communicating about their findings. I will note which students do not complete assignments. Accommodations and extensions: Students who are struggling navigating or posting can have a peer help them in the lab. If a student has completed both topics and would like to make an additional trade with another student they may or they can find a new topic on their own. Backup plan: If for some reason that the computer lab is not available the students would complete their summaries or responses by writing them in their notebooks to be put onto their Moodle site at a different time.
EVALUATE AND EXTEND
Lesson reflections and notes: My hope for this lesson is to create a stronger interest in finding the main idea of informational text. I also want the student to seek out learning in science on their own as our district has shortened the amount of time we have in class for that instruction. Hopefully, this assignment can strengthen both skills for my third graders.
Main Idea, Supporting Details
Reading/Language Arts
Ohio Academic Content Standard
Identify and list the important central ideas and supporting details of informational text.
Creativity and innovation
Communication and collaboration
Research and information fluency
Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making
Digital citizenship
Technology operations and concepts
The student will be able to identify and communicate the main idea of a story and give supporting details for their findings. The student will select an informational topic in the area of science and post a brief summary of the book and then support a main idea using details from the story.
Before-class preparation:
The students will be asked during their library time to select one book that is an informational science book.
Three 45 minute sessions.
When they have communicated about their books and trade they will trade books at their next library session and repeat the process with their new book, but under the original forums posting.
If there is a difference of opinion the two students will work together to come up a solution and definite main idea that both students feel is acceptable.
Ongoing assessment(s): I will monitor the postings online to see if they are on task and communicating about their findings. I will note which students do not complete assignments.
Accommodations and extensions:
Students who are struggling navigating or posting can have a peer help them in the lab. If a student has completed both topics and would like to make an additional trade with another student they may or they can find a new topic on their own.
Backup plan:
If for some reason that the computer lab is not available the students would complete their summaries or responses by writing them in their notebooks to be put onto their Moodle site at a different time.
My hope for this lesson is to create a stronger interest in finding the main idea of informational text. I also want the student to seek out learning in science on their own as our district has shortened the amount of time we have in class for that instruction. Hopefully, this assignment can strengthen both skills for my third graders.